


Gray Tides: Fog Bound

by InkedRose



Series: Gray Tides [1]
Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: Fanfic, Fanfiction, Movie: Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-10
Updated: 2018-07-14
Packaged: 2019-06-08 06:44:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,810
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15237678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkedRose/pseuds/InkedRose
Summary: When Pearl Winston's father, Thaddeus, goes missing, and her mother is murdered; she sets out on a journey based off of even the most minute amount of hope she has left. She goes searching for her father, starting with the pirate port of Tortuga. The longer she spends with pirates, and on the seas, the more she begins to learn about the secret life her father lived before her birth. When she comes to learn that her father was a pirate, and a very feared one, she must come to terms with the truth, her lineage, and her budding love for the ocean.





	1. A Rude Awakening

**Author's Note:**

> Please note some changes to the canon will appear.

Nothing sounded more appealing than the hearth of home.

Daydreams of a roaring fire and the familiarity of comfort were enticing enough to make even the strongest of men quiver. The sea was a cold and unforgiving place to be. The harsh and cruel winds whipping against pinkened cheeks left no sense of welcome, nor desire to remain. If even the strongest, bravest of men often desired port—desired the warmth and embrace of  _home_ ; how could a girl at the mere age of twelve resist the longing?

Several weeks had gone since Pearl Winston had been home. Despite her wishes—her yearning for the fulfillment of contentment, she knew there was nothing left for her there. It was the one place she had ever known throughout her short life, and yet, it had become unrecognizable to her. It first began losing its intimacy when her father left to find old friends. From the moment of his leaving, it began growing darker. The halls, and furnishings, had become estranged to her. Losing her mother was when it became nothing but an old friend—a distant memory.

Still, she waited for the day that her father would return, and she would no longer feel as though she had been abandoned. However, that day never came. Nevertheless, Pearl refused to believe that she had become an orphan within the span of one year. In her heart, there was still hope to be had. Somewhere— _anywhere_ —her father was still alive… and she was going to find him.

Pearl packed what little belongings she could strength, took the remainder of her mother's money, and set out to find passage so that she could travel to far-out places she never dreamed she would go. For one shilling, she bartered passage onto a Jamaican merchant ship,  _The Jewel_. They agreed to take her to the famed pirate port, Tortuga. There, she at least  _hoped_ , she would find answers.

For the past few weeks, while the ship sailed, Pearl sat atop a barrel on the starboard side of the ship, with her arms lying flat on the rail, and her chin resting on her hands. She wondered what, or who, she would find in Tortuga.

Today was no different. She was in the same position, turning over the same questions, and watching the glassy ocean be disrupted when  _The Jewel's_  hull split its calmness apart. Keyair Shaw, the ship's captain, came wandering over to her… something he had done frequently since she boarded. His visits were more frequent during mealtimes. He always ensured that she was eating even the smallest bit.

"Musing again, are we?"

Pearl spared a brief glance in his direction, but otherwise kept her eyes on the waters she had grown to hate so much. He always thought she was elsewhere—lost in fanciful thought, but she never was. She was always thinking about her father, and where he could be. If anything, she was holding onto her bitterness to keep her strong. "No."

Keyair cocked an eyebrow. "No?" he mocked. "Looks that way to me."

"It's not that way," Pearl assured.

The man took a seat on the barrel next to her. "Then tell me, young miss, what is it you think of?"

There was no easy way to answer that question. What could she say? That she was thinking of her mother's corpse, and the way it lay awkwardly on the floor? What her father's corpse would look like, if he were dead? Wishing she could reverse time to stop all horrific things from happening? They weren't answers that Captain Shaw would want to hear—especially not from the mouth of a twelve-year-old girl. "Fulfillment," Pearl finally said. There was nothing else she could think to say.

Keyair nodded. "Fulfillment, eh? Would it have anything to do with that man you claim you are looking for?"

"Perhaps."

The man nodded. "Ah, well, fear not—Tortuga is close. We will leave you there, and you will be able to continue your search."

Captain Shaw was walking away when Pearl sat straight and swung around on the barrel to look at him. "Have you heard the name Winston before?"

Keyair Shaw turned on his heel. "Winston?" he questioned. "I know many gentlemen named Winston."

"As in surname," corrected Pearl.

The man seemed, almost, to falter. "It sounds familiar."

The girl's heart lurched in her chest. Had he heard of her father? Did he  _know_  her father?  _What_  did he know? There were so many questions she had, especially considering she knew  _nothing_  about her father and the life he lived before she was born. "Familiar," she repeated. "How?"

Keyair pursed his lips. He stepped closer to her, pushing his dreadlocks from his face when they fell in his eyes. "Just of a… sailor with the name. Can't say I remember his first name, but from what I know, he was quite a reputable one."

_A sailor!_ Pearl thought.  _My father was a sailor!_

"Is… that all you know?"

"Why are you asking? Does this…  _Winston_  man have something to do with who you are looking for?"

Pearl nodded slowly. "I'm hoping."

"Well, from what I've heard, he's had quite a bit of dealings with those in Tortuga. Perhaps you will find some clues there, just as you were hoping to."

Pearl smiled at Keyair as he walked away. She took a seat on the barrel again, deciding that she would just have to ask every single person she saw in Tortuga about her father. After a moment, she furrowed her eyebrows. She was thinking about what Captain Shaw had said.

_Quite a bit of dealings with those in Tortuga,_  she thought.  _Why would my father, as a well-to-do sailor, involve himself with those kinds of people? It's a pirate port!_

* * *

The ship docked in Tortuga when the sun was in the middle of the sky. Pearl grabbed her rucksack and prepared to leave the ship. Before she could, she was stopped by Captain Shaw. He was smiling kindly, and almost sadly, at her. He squatted down so that he could be eye-level with her. He grabbed her upper-arms and gave them an encouraging squeeze. "I hope you find who are looking for. I must caution you, though. Tortuga is a rough place. It's full of the most despicable kind of people. It's no place for a young girl to wander alone."

Pearl watched fear flicker through the man's eyes. She smiled slightly at him. "I'll be alright," she told him. "I'll be careful."

Keyair released her arms and stood, offering his hands to her. She took it and tried to keep up with his quick motions when he began shaking it. "Good luck, Pearl."

"Good luck to you, too, Captain Shaw. I appreciate you allowing me passage on your ship."

Pearl Winston stepped onto the docks and turned to look back at  _The Jewel_. It was a rather beautiful ship, but she couldn't say that she would miss it. She appreciated it, and the crew, for the service that had been provided for her, but the more she looked at it, the more she was reminded of the countless times she had gotten sick over the side. It had been her first time at sea, and it took her nearly one week to overcome her nausea. She was thankful for no longer having to experience seasickness but was also thankful for no longer having to experience the sea itself.

She stepped into the city and began to maneuver her way through it. If she had had any expectations about Tortuga before seeing it with her own eyes, she suspected that would have been outlandishly wrong. While she  _knew_  that it was a port for pirates, she surely hadn't expected the scenes before her.

It was a rather dank and dirty place, with weather-beaten buildings, rotting docks, and an extremely putrid stench that would definitely linger. The paths, alleyways, and any free spaces were completely crowded with rowdy, exuberant people who, themselves, smelled less than savory. The island was overrun with criminals, pirates, privateers, and scoundrels of all varieties. Drunkards stumbled back and forth between pubs, thieves picked pockets at every chance, women wore dresses far too tight to accentuate their endowments, violent and petty men pointed pistols and swords at each other's throats, and there was livestock running free at every turn. It was a truly horrifying sight, especially for Pearl, who had never witnessed anything less than civilized lifestyle.

Pearl had stopped to ask several people if there was a printing press in the town, but none of them regarded her in a way that she had expected. The women tended to flat-out ignore her, and the men seemed to think that she was trying to sell something that they were undeniably interested in buying. Only, she couldn't figure out what kind of service they believed she was promoting. The best option seemed to be finding an establishment where she could ask workers about the printing press.

She shoved her way through the crowd, frequently being knocked aside by the backsides of people in a drunken stupor. She couldn't believe that there were so many people completely wasted in the middle of the day. As she stumbled her way over to a pub on the far end of the island; men pulled her hair to their noses to smell, grabbed at the hems of her dress, and tried to solicit her for her, as they put it, 'goods.' If there were ever a time Pearl thought she couldn't long for home more, she would have been corrected by her desire for it now.

Before reaching the door to the pub, Pearl was grabbed by a woman with long, blonde hair and a yellow dress on. The woman examined her attire and seemed angry. "Did Caesar buy you a new dress?" she asked.

Pearl was dumbfounded. "Who is Caesar?"

The woman looked confusedly at her. "Aren't you one of his girls?"

" _Girls?_ "

"Yeah,  _girls_ ," said the woman slowly, assuming that Pearl was some kind of stupid. "Shouldn't one of the others be training you?"

"Training me for  _what?_ "

The woman stared at her for a long time. "Who are you?"

"My name is Pearl."

"Haven't heard that one. You're a new one, are you not?"

"Miss, I don't know what you're talking about."

"A polite one!" the woman exclaimed. "Surprising. Caesar's getting better with choices."

Pearl shook her head. "I don't know who Caesar is."

"The one you answer to," she said. "Who you give wages to?"

The girl looked the woman over closely. She peered further into the crowd, finding others who resembled her, and studied their behaviors. They all seemed to be hanging all over men. She furrowed her eyebrows, glanced to her dress, and the suddenly looked mortified. "No!" she exclaimed. "I'm not a prostitute!"

The woman scoffed. "Oh,  _sure_. C'mon, we're taking you to Caesar so he can sort this mess all out."

Pearl began to panic. She tried to pry the woman's hand off of her arm. "Please, you misunderstand! I'm  _not_  a prostitute! I just arrived here! I don't know who Caesar is!"

"Giselle!" shouted a woman. "What are you doing?"

The woman, Giselle, stopped but kept ahold of Pearl's arm. "Escorting a stray back to Caesar. What does it matter to you?"

The other woman, a tan-skinned woman with black hair gave Giselle a pointed look. "Why is she putting up such a fight, then?"

Giselle scoffed. "Why d'you think, pub wench? Nobody wants to work for Caesar."

The woman smacked Giselle's hand off of Pearl. "What's your name?"

"Pearl," she said shakily.

"Are you a prostitute?"

Pearl looked horrified. "No!"

"Very well. Come on, then." The woman glared at Giselle and led Pearl into a pub that, according to the hanging sign, was called  _The Crow's Nest_. It was a rather tame and quiet place of business for being in Tortuga. The woman sat Pearl at the bar and walked around it. "Are you hungry?"

Pearl shook her head. "Not very."

"D'you want anything? Rum, ale?"

"Nothing, thank you."

The woman nodded. "What are you doing here?"

Pearl was confused. "What do you mean?"

"You're too young to be roaming around to Tortuga… and  _alone_ , no less. Not to mention, you're a  _girl_. Anyone could have mistaken you for a prostitute. Not many women who  _aren't_  prostitutes come around here. Unless they're captains, of course."

"You don't know how old I am," said Pearl.

The woman eyed her. "At  _most_ , I'd say fourteen."

Pearl was quiet for a moment. "Twelve."

"Even worse!" she shouted. " _What_  are you doing here? By the looks o' you, you're not a pirate, nor the child of one. So, what's your purpose here?"

"I was looking for a printing press."

"You didn't come all the way to Tortuga just for a printing press."

"I'm looking for someone… someone who is missing. I need to have flyers printed. Can you point me in the direction of a printing press, or not?"

"No," she said defiantly. "I can't. I will, however, get whatever you want to be printed for you. You can't be out and about whenever you want. Not here."

Pearl glowered at her. "Who are you, anyway? You're not my  _mother_."

"Name's Liliana," she said. "No, I'm not your mother, but I'm sure as hell protecting like I were. You'll get yourself killed or  _worse_  here. Don't be foolish."

"I can handle myself."

Liliana scoffed. " _Can_  you? Alright then, tell me, what d'you have for a weapon?"

Pearl stammered. "I… don't."

Liliana nodded, drumming her fingers on the countertop briefly. "No weapon. Okay, well, if you were to come into one, d'you know how to use any? A sword—of any kind; cutlass, hanger, rapier, what have you—or a pistol?"

"No," the girl answered, looking down.

"Mm. I thought not."

"In any case, I don't need to be monitored. I will be fine." Pearl stood up and headed for the door. "I have things I need to do, so if you'll excuse me…"

Liliana moved in front of the door and crossed her arms over her chest. "I can't keep you here, but I hope you regard that you  _have_  been warned. This is a place dangerous, Pearl. Especially for a defenseless girl."

Pearl watched her defiantly, but deep down, she couldn't deny that she was afraid. She surely was. She felt it in her bones—the shaking, terror of a feeling. She didn't want to be in Tortuga, but what other choice did she have? She couldn't sit around and do nothing. She  _had_  to find her father. This was the best place to start. "Do you know where the printing press is?  _Is_  there one?"

Liliana shook her head. "You're a stubborn girl," she said before opening the door and pointing east. "You'll find it just past those buildings. Like I said, this is a dangerous place. Watch yourself."

"Thank you," said Pearl politely before entering the whirlpool of madness once more. As she walked to the printer's, she spotted some male clothes that looked about her size hanging on a line outside. She weighed her morality, trying to figure out if stealing clothing was too much for her. Her desire to be a little more invisible, however, won. She snatched the clothes off of the line, used a dark and empty crevice to change, and continued on her mission. When she arrived at the printer's, she went straight to the counter. There stood a large, stout man with beady eyes and a large head. He peered at her over his circular glasses. "How may I assist you?"

"I need flyers printed," said Pearl. "For a missing person." She placed a few pence pieces on the surface. "How long should I expect?"

The man looked at the pence pieces, smiled amusedly, and looked at her. "A few hours, I'd say."

Pearl furrowed her eyebrows. "A few  _hours_? For flyers? That seems too short a time."

The shopkeeper shook his head and laughed heartily. "No, little miss. For  _one_  flyer." He gestured to the coins. "This just  _barely_  covers the charge for  _one_  flyer."

Pearl was taken aback. She stood there, dazed and surprised. "No, please, I need  _several_. The person who's missing—it's my  _father_. Please, if you could be so merciful…"

The man shook his head. "That's no way to do business, little lady. Take the one flyer or bugger away from my shop!"

The girl nodded, feeling defeated. "Very well. I will be back for it in a few hours. Thank you for your services."

Pearl wandered out of the shop, feeling much more hopeless than she had before. She had expected to come to Tortuga and find the pieces of her father's disappearance finally coming together. Instead, they felt like they were fading further away. She felt like she had made less progression than she had when she bartered passage onto  _The Jewel_. There was no way to avoid the disheartened feeling that was washing over her.

With her rucksack slung over her shoulder, she made her way back to The Crow's Nest. When she went inside, there was a man tending to the bar instead of Liliana. She sat on a stool in front of the counter and sighed heavily. The man shifted over to her, cocking an eyebrow at her. "Rough day, there?"

Pearl looked up at the man, who had dusty brunette hair and green eyes. "Rough month, actually."

"That's tough," he said, placing a mug before her. When she eyed it skeptically—he laughed. "It's just water. Liliana told me that I'm not allowed to give you anything but water."

Pearl blinked at him. "She told you about me?"

The man shrugged slowly. "I was in the other room. I overheard everything. Try not to mind her, eh? She just wants to make sure all the little girls of the world are safe. She's just protective."

"Well, I'm starting to think she was right. I should have stayed away. I should have stayed home, even though there was nothing left for me there. I think coming here may have been a waste of my time."

"You came here to look for somebody, isn't that right?"

Pearl nodded.

"Why did you choose here? I don't suppose you would find anybody here worth looking for. The only reason I can think you would've come here, is if the person you seek is a pirate."

"No!" said Pearl, a bit too quickly and defensively. "I mean… it's the only port I know of. At least, the only one I can remember hearing about."

"Peculiar, don't you think?"

"What is?"

"That the only port you can think of, where you're looking—is a pirate port. Maybe the person you are looking for  _is_  a pirate… or was, at least."

"That's impossible," Pearl denied. "He was a sailor."

"Well, not to rupture your idealistic view of the world, but… pirates  _are_  sailors. Sometimes it just seems a more favorable word."

"I don't believe that," Pearl told him. "That he was a pirate, anyway. Pirates are… lowlifes. They're thieves, kidnappers, plunderers, pilferers, and overall… crude." When she noticed that the man seemed vaguely upset by her words, she frowned. "I'm sorry… are  _you_  a pirate?"

"No," said the man. "My father was."

Pearl was embarrassed. She had just been caught talking ill about the character of someone the barkeep had known, loved, and looked up to. She wanted to rescind her statement, but that damage had already been done. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to offend you."

"Leander," the barkeep corrected. "Anyway, you didn't offend me, but… I don't think this is the best place to slander the characters of pirates."

"I would say you're probably right," Pearl, laughing sheepishly. "I should mind my tongue from now on. Especially while I'm here."

Leander nodded, smiling at her. "Sounds like a wise choice."

* * *

Pearl lingered at The Crow's Nest until she figured that her  _one_  flyer was ready. She spent the time talking to Leander, trying to get to know him as best as she could, but he wasn't much for divulging personal information. She even tried to distance herself from him directly and ask what his father thought of living the life of piracy… but he was still hesitant to answer. She then turned to focus on casual conversation that involved no personal business whatsoever, and Leander responded much better and cooperatively this way. By the time she made it over to the printer's, the sun was melting beyond the horizon. She retrieved the flyer and decided to ignore the shopkeeper's cruel, taunting laughter as she left with it. He thought it was hilarious that she would only afford a single flyer. She thought it was embarrassing.

While she was figuring out where to put the flyer, she noticed the side of a pub that was close to the docks. On the side of the building, facing the ships, the wall was completely covered with other flyers. She approached the wall, and spent some time looking between each of them. Most of them were missing person's posters, just as hers was. There were, however, a few wanted posters. In the middle of the sea of parchment, there was one empty space. She knelt down next to the bucket of paste that was sitting in front of the wall. It made her sad, really, to think about how many people had to have come to put up flyers, just for someone to have set out an entire bucket of paste. She hoped that they would all find what, or who, they were searching for.

If she couldn't have hope for anyone else, she couldn't have hope for herself.

With the brush, she applied the paste on the back of the parchment. She pressed it into the wall, smoothing its edges until she was certain it was going to stick. She took a few steps back and eyed it, noting how unlikely it was for anyone to come stumbling along and notice, out of them all,  _her_  poster. She felt even more hopeless than before.

"You're looking for Thaddeus Winston, eh?"

Pearl turned quickly on her heel to come face-to-face with a tall, brown-haired woman with a hat upon her head, several colorful feathers in her hair, and a large leather coat hanging at her sides. "Who are you?"

The woman stepped forward, revealing her rather pretty face. She smiled at Pearl. "My name is Captain Zella Wright," she said. "You didn't answer my question."

"Oh," Pearl stammered. "Y-Yes, I'm looking for Thaddeus Winston."

Captain Zella smiled brightly at Pearl. "Well, you're in luck. I happen to know 'im."


	2. Ignorance

Tortuga was unusually quiet during the early hours of the morning. The sun had barely begun to rise, but Captain Zella Wright was already on the move. The woman had offered Pearl a place to sleep and eat on her ship,  _The Eagle_ , while it was docked at the port. She had been asleep in a hammock in the crew's quarters when Zella nudged her awake. They, apparently, had important business to attend to. Though, when Pearl saw that it was still mostly dark outside; she wondered just how important the business was to have been conducted when it was barely morning. It was eerie to walk through the town, as nobody had yet emerged to continue their binge-drinking. Unconscious men and women laid, scattered, throughout the streets like broken pieces of glass. Pearl assumed that Zella had been in Tortuga many times before, as she seemed entirely unfazed as she stepped over limp bodies.

"I never thought Tortuga could be so quiet," said Pearl.

"Aye," Zella nodded. "It isn't often like this, not even at this hour. Today has special circumstances."

"What kind of special circumstances?"

"There was festival last night," answered the woman. "Drink until you drop."

"At least I won't have to experience another one."

Zella laughed. "Don't count yourself  _too_  lucky. The festival happens every Wednesday."

Pearl blinked. "It has to lose its festivity at some point."

"With these people, anything is spectacular and festive when it involves booze."

The girl shook her head. "This town is a nightmarish pit."

Zella chuckled. "Well, it  _is_  a pirate port. Can't expect less from 'em."

"How often do you come here?"

The woman shrugged. "Once every few months."

" _Why?_ "

"This is where I get a portion of my supplies, and sometimes, crewmembers. It's also somewhere I can dock  _The Eagle_  when it's been a long journey at sea."

"Why would you choose to come here—of all places?"

Zella eyed Pearl. "Why d'you think?"

Pearl looked around, grimacing at her surroundings. "I don't  _know_  what I think. I can't imagine any decent and respectable person willingly coming here."

"Decent and respectable, eh? Then who do you imagine coming here?"

"Well…  _Pirates_."

Zella shrugged. "There you go."

Pearl paused in her tracks, watching Zella's back as she entered a pub. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Quickly, she ran after the moment. " _You're_   _a pirate?_ "

"That I am."

The girl shook her head. "No, that's impossible. You seem, as I said, like a decent and respectable person."

Zella turned, looking down at Pearl. "Can't I be both?"

The question left Pearl Winston dumbfounded.  _Could_  someone be a pirate, and a respectable person at the same time? Growing up, she had never thought of a good person as being synonymous with a pirate. Those around her always seemed to talk about them in such a negative light. Her maternal grandmother, in some of her Pearl's particular memories, would always say that there was nothing good about them. "They are nothing more than filthy thieves," she would say. "The King is just in his decision to have them all hanged. A well-deserved death for their crimes!"

Her father always seemed to make a point to avoid his wife's mother when she was around. When, however, he  _was_  around and heard her strong opinions on the life of piracy, he always intervened. He would say, "I don't want you spouting off your ignorance around my daughter, Myra." From what Pearl could remember, it worked. During her visits, Grandmother would never speak another word about pirates. What would Grandmother think, if she knew that Pearl was in direct contact with a pirate, and surrounded by hundreds more?

Captain Zella Wright was a pirate, but she  _also_  seemed to be a good person. Yet, it went against every single thing that Pearl knew. She never thought that one question could make her debate her entire ethical and moral outlooks. Perhaps Grandmother Myra had been wrong when she said that pirates were unequivocally bad. Perhaps they could  _also_  be good.

Zella was waving her hand in front of Pearl's face. "Where'd you go?"

Pearl shook her head. "Lost in thought."

"You didn't answer my question."

"What was your question?"

"As a pirate, can I not be a decent person, as well?"

Pearl hesitated. "I don't know."

Zella sat at the counters and pat the stool next to her. Pearl took a seat. "Have you ever met a pirate before?"

"No," Pearl admitted. "You're the first I've met."

"What, then, brings you to believe that they, as a whole, are bad people?"

"Upon reflection, no hard evidence," said the girl. "Only the teachings of the people I have known in my life. My family—even the people in my town."

Zella furrowed her eyebrows. "Your family told you that pirates are bad people?"

"My grandmother, mostly."

"Well," began Zella, taking in a deep breath. "I can understand why your grandmother would think that. A lot of us pirates do unfavorable things. We're pilferers and plunderers… sometimes we're murderers… but that's not all of us, and it doesn't make us bad people."

Pearl smiled sheepishly. She felt embarrassed. She couldn't seem to keep her opinions, or rather what she thought was factual, about pirates contained. She didn't want to keep spouting off her ignorance. Perhaps there was something to be learned about, and  _from_ , a pirate. "I never thought of it that way."

"Not many do," said Zella. "You're not alone in your ways, Pearl. What's important is that you try to find your own path—your own beliefs. The only way to do that is through experience. By now knowing a pirate, you're able to form your own opinion. Or, you will; since you haven't been around me very long."

"I'm sorry," said Pearl. "I must have sounded rude."

"Not rude," said Zella. "Unaware—uneducated."

"What are we doing here, anyway?" asked Pearl. "It doesn't seem to be open."

"Pubs never close around here," Zella told her. "I'm waiting for a friend."

"Isn't this The Crow's Nest?"

Zella cocked an eyebrow. "You know it?"

Pearl chuckled. "Not personally."

Liliana, the same dark-haired woman who had whisked Pearl away from the prostitute named Giselle the day prior, came out from a room in the back. She caught sight of Pearl and Zella and looked rather confused. "How'd you find this one?" asked Liliana.

Pearl was confused. She went to answer, but Zella spoke too soon.

"Putting up a flyer," Zella explained. "Looking for her missing father."

"You two know each other?" asked Pearl.

Liliana scoffed. "Know each other? We practically grew up with each other. I even helped crew her ship for a time."

Pearl gaped. " _You're_  a pirate, too?"

"Was," said Liliana. She turned back to Zella. "What does her father have to do with you?"

Pearl leaned in eagerly, but Captain Wright didn't seem willing to get into the details quite yet. "Personal matter."

Liliana eyed Zella suspiciously, but asked no further questions. "What brings you here, then? You've never been much of a drinker."

"I was wondering if you've seen Jack," Zella told her.

"Jack?" Liliana repeated, seeming unamused. "Jack  _Sparrow?_ "

Zella nodded.

Liliana rolled her eyes. "Can't say I have. Not that I would want to. I told him the next time I see him, I'm pointing my pistol right between his eyes and firing immediately."

"You've always been so testy," Zella laughed. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"Few years ago, at  _least_."

Pearl was confused. Zella cursed under her breath. "Who's Jack Sparrow?"

"What do you want with him, anyway?" Liliana asked, ignoring Pearl. "You shouldn't get involved with him. He's nothing but trouble."

Zella shook her head. "Something important. Let me know if you see him anytime soon. I'll be in Tortuga a while."

* * *

Captain Zella Wright had neglected to give Pearl further information on her father, and how she knew him. Aside from initially admitting that she was something of an acquaintance to Thaddeus, it didn't seem like a topic of conversation she would maintain. It wasn't for a lack of trying. Pearl, time and time again, tried to coax the woman into talking about it, but she either ignored the questions, or found ways to skirt around them. Pearl could, at first, ignore her lack of knowledge, but since they had spoken with Liliana, she had been antsier than ever. Zella had vital information about her father, she was sure of it. She wished she knew how to get her to speak.

Zella had been ordering Pearl to stay on  _The Eagle_  while she went into town. Her reasons for going always remained a mystery. During her time confined to the ship, Pearl had taken her time to get to know the crew. Each and every member of  _The Eagle_  were female, aside from Zella's fourteen-year-old brother, Alistair. Azure Hale, the first mate, would spend most of her days teaching Alistair how to fight with swords. When Pearl first started watching their spars, Alistair was absolutely abysmal with his wooden sword, but he was slowly improving. Cardinal Dowling, the navigator, would often come along to sit with Pearl. She would join her in watching Alistair and Azure's practice, and would make sly, quiet remarks about Alistair's poor posture and clumsy footing.

Alistair and Azure were at it again. Azure, naturally, was dominating the battle. She was much more seasoned in sword fighting than Alistair was.  _The Eagle's_  bosun, Priscilla Howard, decided to join Cardinal and Pearl on the sidelines.

Cardinal was laughing. "Look at 'im prance around like a little deer. One of these days, he's going to go bustling over those barrels."

"Now, now," Priscilla warned teasingly. "I don't think Zella would approve of you speaking that way about her precious little brother."

Cardinal snorted. "Her precious little brother's never going to learn to fight with a wooden sword," she said. "Hell, he complains about the weight of it as is."

Pearl watched Alistair smoothen his formerly choppy movements. "He's getting better. Every time they practice, there's always noticeable improvement. It takes time to learn how to use a sword."

Priscilla looked at Pearl. "Do you know how to use a sword?"

Pearl shook her head. "No, but I've always wanted to. I would never have dreamt of it before. My mother and father would have never allowed it. My grandmother would probably have gone completely ballistic if she ever found out. The last thing she'd want is for me to step into pirate territory."

"Pirates aren't the only ones who know who to use a sword," Cardinal pointed out. "Plenty o' people do. It's a rather necessary skill these days."

"Do you  _want_  to learn how to use one?" asked Priscilla.

Pearl looked up at the freckled woman.  _Why not?_  she thought.  _Who's to stop me?_

"Don't think we have any more wooden swords, though," Cardinal said. "Might have to learn with a real one."

"I think I'd like to," answered Pearl. "I've always wanted to, so… why not?"

"Might wanna be careful," said Cardinal as she stuffed her mouth with peanuts. "You're stepping into pirate territory, aren't you?"

Pearl laughed. "The last thing I'm worried about is becoming a pirate. Before, the thought would have terrified me, but… it can't be the worst thing that could happen."

"Best thing that's happened to me," Cardinal shrugged. "Did I really want to live my life as a poor farmer's daughter forever? No. It's a pirate's life for me."

Priscilla pushed her blonde hair out of her face when the wind picked up. "It's the best thing that's happened to most of us on  _The Eagle_. Zella is an amazing person. Many of us wouldn't be alive, if it weren't for her."

"She saved your life?" asked Pearl.

"Mine, yes," Priscilla nodded. "She's done the same for a lot of the others, too. I was a prostitute in London. I displeased a client, and he nearly beat me half to death. Zella stopped him… whisked me away to her ship, and we never looked back."

"She took me in from Scotland," Cardinal added. "Ran away from home. Begged her to let me board. Few months later, I was part of the crew."

Octavia Parnell, the master gunner, stepped over. "You's talkin' about Zella?"

Priscilla nodded. "How we met her."

"I met her in Barbados," Octavia. "I was part of a slave auction. Zella bought me. Then, she liberated me. Said she'd take me anywhere, but I wanted to stay."

Pearl was amazed by how much the women around her seemed to admire their captain. From what she knew, a lot of pirate crews followed their captains out of obligation, but they all seemed to genuinely want to be in Zella's company. She knew, now, that it was  _definitely_  possible for someone to be a pirate and a good person. If Pearl were ever to become a pirate, she hoped that she would be the kind of person that Zella was at the same time. She was undoubtedly an admirable person. Still, she wondered how her father and Zella had ever come across each other. Had they met at a port? On the seas? During a trade? She wanted answers, but until she got them, she had to keep herself distracted. "Do any of you know how she met Azure?"

There was, for a moment, a sad silence. "Zella found Azure at sea," Octavia explained.

"Among the rubble of a decimated ship," Priscilla added.

Cardinal shook her head, frowning. "Azure was the only one who survived."

Pearl watched the woman parrying with her wooden sword. "Was it a pirate ship that she was on?"

"Nobody knows," Octavia said. "Some think it was a pirate ship, but others think it might've been a merchant's vessel. The only person who knows for sure is Zella. Azure doesn't like to talk about it much, as you could imagine."

When Azure and Alistair decided to take a break to soothe their muscles and catch their breaths, Pearl approached the woman. "Excuse me?" she said politely. "May I talk to you for a moment?"

Azure tied her light hair back, nodding. "What can I do for you?"

"You've sailed with Zella for a long time, haven't you?"

Azure nodded slowly. "Quite a time. Why?"

"Have you ever met a man named Thaddeus Winston?"

"Of course," said Azure. "Plenty of times."

Pearl's mouth went dry. If she worded her next question carefully, she could finally get an inkling into the person her father used to be. "How did Zella know him?"

Azure shook her head. "From what I know, he was a friend of her father's… from boyhood, I believe. They sailed together."

"Sailed together?" Pearl questioned. "As… merchants? Navy?"

Azure shook her head. "No, as pirates."

Pearl stared at Azure for a long time. It felt as though the breath had been completely stolen from her body. "Thaddeus Winston was a pirate?"

Azure nodded. "A well-known one, in fact. He and Zella's father were both relatively feared pirates. A lot of the younger ones looked up to them. They were role models. I know that Benedict was a good man, and Zella swears that Thaddeus was, too."

Truthfully, Pearl was in a daze. She wasn't sure if what she had heard was the truth, but the possibility of it being so was overwhelming. She had never once considered that her father could have been a pirate. Yet, it seemed so viable. There was so much that Pearl didn't know about her father. She was completely clueless about his life prior to her birth. He had never been one to talk about his past. At the time, she never wondered why. She had only assumed it was because there was tragedy in his past, but… could what he had been hiding, not tragedy, but piracy? Was that the reason he always avoided Grandmother Myra?

* * *

When Zella returned, it was nearly nightfall. The crew had gone inside to enjoy dinner, but Pearl hadn't found herself very hungry. She was still having difficulty digesting the information that Azure had given her earlier. Instead of eating, she decided to sit on the deck and wait for Zella to return. Pearl was sitting on a barrel with her arms crossed, trying her best to maintain her composure. Zella hadn't noticed her. She was heading to her quarters. "Why didn't you tell me that my father was a pirate?"

Zella jumped. She had thought that she was alone. She turned to see Pearl, just barely visible under the moon. "Who told you?"

"Azure."

"She's terrible at keeping secrets." Zella walked over to Pearl, looking down at the girl. "I didn't know if you knew. If you didn't know, I wasn't trying to be the one to tell you that your father was the type of person you disapproved of."

"It's true, then? My father was a pirate?"

"As far I know, he still was. My father was his one of his closest friends. He always said that Thaddeus wasn't going to stay away forever, and that the seas would always call him back. There were just… more important things to attend to at the time."

"Me," said Pearl. "It had to have been me."

Zella nodded. "Perhaps it was."

Pearl sucked air through her teeth. "What else do you know about him?"

"Not much," Zella admitted. "I was never  _really_  close with him. I knew him, yes, but I didn't adopt him as a makeshift uncle like the others did."

" _Others?_ "

"The children of our fathers' friends."

"They were close with him?"

"They were," Zella nodded. "One in particular."

Pearl thought back. "Jack Sparrow."

"Yes," Zella agreed. "I have to find Jack so that he can help us find Thaddeus. He was the closest with your father, and if anyone could find him, I believe it would be him. He has something quite valuable of your father's."

"What is it?"

Zella grinned. "His ship."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews are love and motivation.


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